JADE
by NiteJasmine
Summary: AU:Product of a Kindred marathon... A lonely, hungry & seductive vampire targets Horatio. She doesn't want his blood, it's way more sensual than that. R&R please! Serious adult M for language & sexual content...
1. Chapter 1

**JADE**

**A CSI Miami FanFic**

**By NiteJasmine**

**Totally AU – A lonely, hungry and seductive vampire targets Horatio. She doesn't want his blood, it's much more sensual than that…**

**My first AU in a very, very, very long time: so please R&R, but be gentle! **

**This story idea popped into my head after watching a 'Kindred: The Embraced' marathon, so consider the source, but it's certainly NOT a crossover as there are no characters shared.**

**I have multiple other chapters currently under construction, as well as updates to all my other stories… And I am contentedly typing away…**

**This story is rated M for language and sexual content… The usual warnings apply: don't like – don't read! Adults only!**

**I don't own anything or any characters from CSI Miami, I just borrow them for fun on occasion…**

VVVVV

She had been hunting for a very long time, and was growing exceedingly frustrated. She wasn't looking for just a feed, and certainly not for a kill. No. She wanted something else. Something more. Much more.

Were there no mortal males with any kind of backbone left in Miami? The last one that she held any shred of hope upon had quickly become dismally disappointing, and she had just let him go. He hadn't even been interesting enough to want to feed on. Although, with her want to walk around outside, in the oppressive light of Miami's bright sunshine, perhaps she should have taken just a small drink…

She growled lowly and shook off the thought, and decided to circle the glowing city lights just once more.

She wondered if perhaps she should just give up and move on. Some place new. But in all the many decades she had been roaming this earth, there _was_ no place new. She had been everywhere and had seen everything. What she craved was something different. Actually, some _one_ different. Someone exciting, someone challenging, someone intelligent. And someone strong. Strong enough to satisfy her ravenous desires. But there seemed to be no viable prospects at all. Sure, she could get all the attention she wanted from the others like her. But nothing matched the hot rush of excitement and the heady feeling of the seduction and physical domination of a mortal.

Feeling no interesting vibes whatsoever from the humid Miami skyline, she sighed heavily, and considered just heading back home, hungry and unsatisfied once again.

The sound of sirens in the distance caught her attention. Well, perhaps the night may not be a total loss. Maybe she could enjoy some raw carnage of some sort. That would at least be entertaining. She headed for the sound, and discovered it was a rather grisly double murder.

It was in the parking lot of a large neighborhood grocery store. The actual scene was on the outskirts of the parking area, but still well lit. Multiple gun shots had been fired, and both victims had lots of holes in them. She silently perched herself in a treetop very close to the scene, and inhaled the scent of blood in the air hungrily. It had been a while since she had fed on mortal blood. If she waited long enough, perhaps all these mortals would eventually clear out of here, and she could lap up the dregs. It was a bit beneath her to sit and wait for cold, throw-away leftovers, and she knew it wouldn't be near as fulfilling as feeding on a warm living being. But she was already here, and it would be a free and relatively enjoyable snack. Besides, she had nothing better to do. She slumped down to wait out the boring entourage.

There were cops and cameras and people milling all about, a feeling of tumultuous confusion as the immediate area was taped off. Such a delicious energy. Then she saw a silver Hummer pull up to the edge of the police tape, and a tall, well-built man with light red hair stepped out. He was wearing a dark, well-tailored designer suit that flattered his lean, muscular frame. She caught the small glimmer of light flash across the gold badge clipped to his belt as he walked.

As he approached, the energy around the scene immediately changed. This man had power. She sensed it immediately.

"Evening, Lieutenant," one of the officers said as he held up the police tape for the man to duck under.

"Sorry to call you so late Sir," the officer continued. "But the night shift supervisor is out sick."

"Not a problem," she heard him reply, his deep rich voice exuding authority. "Glad to help out. What have we got?"

"Two vics, multiple gun shots, pretty messy," the officer reported.

"There's two CSIs that just arrived on scene, Anderson and McGregor. They're right over there," he pointed to two figures, bent over their respective kits and pulling on latex gloves.

"Thank you," he said, then strode on confidently, heading straight for the center of the carnage.

She sat up, intrigued. She immediately focused her attention on him, and watched him intently as he smoothly took control of the chaos. He took a central, dominant position, his hands perched on his hips, and calmly orchestrated everything around him.

VVVVV

Horatio strode onto the crime scene, and began taking control. He had done this so many times, it was pretty much second nature to him. The two CSIs on scene were not from his usual day team, but that didn't matter. They were efficient and thorough. And respectfully responsive to his directions.

But he still felt that something was wrong. There was something slightly different with this scene. He had gotten an uneasy feeling right off the bat. After so many years doing this, he had learned to trust his gut instincts, and something was just a bit off here. It felt like… like someone was intently watching him… It wasn't anything concrete or tangible, it was just a feeling… like a cold draft from under a door… just a feeling… it almost made him want to shiver, in spite of the warm Miami night air.

Not betraying his inner suspicious feelings, he held his normal stance, hands on his hips, confidently controlling the situation, directing all the people around him to their necessary duties. But he also took the extra time to slyly turn and scan the various groups of people gathering around. He was convinced that somebody was watching him, but who? He could find no tell-tale eyes in the crowd.

VVVVV

She saw his apprehension, and a sly smile curved across her face. _He feels me..._ she thought, becoming giddy with the realization. Perhaps all was not lost. Perhaps she had found someone worthy of her attention. Her mouth began to water at the possibilities of this new prospect. Such strong, virile, satisfying potential…

Rather than risk aggravating this intriguing new target, she silently flew away from her vantage point, unseen, and headed towards home, smiling contentedly to herself. _Lieutenant. They called you that. I will find you, Lieutenant. Whoever you are. I will find you…_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

VVVVV

After the initial uneasy feeling of being intently watched when he first arrived on scene, once things were under control, the feeling faded. Horatio dismissed it completely. Chalking it up to being called out to a scene so late and so far out of his norm_. I'm just tired, and being paranoid… _he chided himself.

VVVVV

She sat naked in the middle of her large four-poster bed, the blueish glow from her computer screen casting odd shadows on the wall and illuminating her features. She typed away on the small laptop, sat back, and smiled at the images displayed on the screen.

"Gotcha," she said quietly to herself. "Horatio Caine. Hello Lieutenant Horatio Caine."

She typed in a few more searches, and read everything she could find about the man. Finally satisfied that she had all the information she needed, she clicked her laptop closed, plunging the room into total darkness.

The sun would be coming up soon, but she wouldn't be bothered by it. The heavy rich draperies covering the windows were exceptionally efficient at keeping out any intruding rays of light. She sprawled out across the layers of the expensive silk sheets, sighed and yawned.

She felt a tingle of excitement at the thought of her upcoming pursuit, the pursuit of Horatio Caine. It would begin tomorrow. She would begin to set the events in motion, her overall plan of action forming in her head.

_But first, I need to sleep._ She thought.

She fell asleep with a contented smile on her face.

VVVVV

_**One week later…**_

Horatio strode from the elevator and headed for his office, passing all the empty labs and picking up his mail along the way. He always enjoyed coming in early. It was a nice, quiet and uninterrupted block of time that he had all to himself. It gave him time to think and get geared up for the onslaught of the day.

He sat down at his desk and began going through his mail. One envelope in particular caught his attention, so he opened it first. It was a letter from the Chief. The Mayor was hosting another 'Meet & Greet' style dinner this weekend, gearing up for the upcoming election, and his presence was formally requested.

He groaned inwardly. He was never a big fan of the political agendas of the Mayor or anyone else, but he also realized that it was a positive PR opportunity for the media to showcase, and anything along those lines helped improve the image of the Police Department in the eyes of the general public. And overall, that helped make every cop's job perhaps just a little easier.

He sighed, turned, and quickly tapped out his RSVP email on his computer, and clicked send. He put the date in his phone, and went back to his normal routine, not giving the dinner another thought until two days later, when the reminder popped up on his phone.

'Mayor Dinner, Tonight, 6PM' showed on the small screen. He groaned again, but resigned himself to the task. At least he would enjoy a nice dinner.

VVVVV

The food _was_ excellent. And he did make his cursory rounds, politely shaking hands and making small talk with the political types. There were a lot of familiar faces here that he knew fairly well; reporters, attorneys, judges, the usuals.

But he also noted a lot of other people as well, clearly the upper echelon of Miami's social register, and obviously some of the Mayor's biggest campaign contributors.

He had just finished a brief conversation with Judge Malvern, checked his watch, and began to think about making a courteous exit from the event and go home.

And then he saw her…

The most elegant, exotically beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was absolutely gorgeous. She moved gracefully, effortlessly, like she was gliding on a cushion of air. Her tall slender frame had a lean, powerfully athletic look to it, but without being too harsh or muscular. She was wearing an elegantblack designer dress that accentuated the luscious curves of her body, and sipping a glass of champagne.

And while some of the other women in the room were draped in large decadent jewelry, gaudily proclaiming their wealth, she was the picture of understated class. Adorning her was a pair of small, tastefully exquisite diamond earrings, and a matching diamond pendant on a delicate gold chain, that draped sensuously around her neck and suspended itself just above her ample cleavage.

Her long, straight, raven-black hair accentuated her exotic beauty. Her skin was smooth and flawless, the color of a lightly sun-kissed cinnamon.

He found it impossible to tear his eyes away, watching her was absolutely captivating.

She suddenly turned towards him, her eyes searching, like she could feel him watching her, and her eyes locked onto his.

His breath caught in his throat, and he felt a light rush of color come to his cheeks at being caught staring at her so openly. But then he saw a warm curve come to her lips, which turned into a lovely smile.

But what riveted him were her eyes. They were a brilliant emerald green, almost luminous, like a cat. He realized that she was coming towards him. Her gaze was locked onto his as she approached him. He was frozen in place. Then, she was standing right in front of him, and the rest of the world didn't exist.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure," she said to him, extending her hand.

Her voice was velvety smooth, with a vague hint of an accent that he couldn't quite place. But just hearing it sent a slight chill over him, and raised little goose bumps.

"I'm Jade," she said, her eyes never leaving his. "Jade Deverau."

He reached out and took her delicate hand. "Horatio Caine," he said, kissing the back of her hand lightly.

She was impressed by his chivalrous gesture.

"Hmmm... _Horatio_," she said, pronouncing his name slowly. "What a noble name."

"Thank you," he replied. He suddenly felt a bit light-headed, and immediately struggled to dismiss it. He found himself entranced by this woman, captivated. And for someone who was accustomed to always being in complete control, it was rather unsettling. But he managed to keep his inner struggles to himself. Or so he thought…

"I am very pleased to meet you, Horatio," she said, and flashed him another captivating smile. He smiled back, and he swore he felt the temperature in the room suddenly jump 10 degrees. Was it getting hot in here?

She could feel his reaction to her presence. It was such a rush to have a mortal so responsive, it was thrilling. She knew if she suggested that he come home with her right now, she could exert enough control over him that he would be powerless to say no. And she was already hungry to have her way with him...

But, no. That wasn't the plan. Not with him.

"You know, these political things can be so… stuffy," she said, leaning closer to him. "I was thinking about going out on the balcony for a few minutes and enjoying some fresh air. Would you care to join me?"

"I would be delighted," he answered, glad to be heading out of this suddenly stifling room.

She smiled at him, then turned and expertly threaded her way through the crowd. Following close behind her, he caught the intoxicating scents of Lavender and Jasmine coming from her.

Reaching their destination, she pushed the French double doors open and the two of them stepped out onto the balcony as she slipped the doors back shut.

They were alone. There was nobody else out on the balcony.

She walked to the railing and leaned on it, and looked out over the Miami skyline. Horatio walked over and stood beside her, he also managed to tear his eyes away from her and appreciate the glowing lights of the city.

She closed her eyes, leaned her head back slightly, and inhaled the night air deeply. That seemingly innocent act immediately drew his full attention back to her. He felt his pulse rate pick up, and actually felt himself getting aroused. Erotic thoughts began to flood through his mind as he gazed at her, beautifully illuminated by the pale moonlight… How wonderful her smooth, naked skin would feel against his… the delicious sounds she would make as he sought out all the pleasure spots of her amazing body… how incredible her writhing body would feel beneath him as he took her...

That train of thought set off alarm bells in his head, and with some measure of effort, he forced himself to look away from her, and back at the city lights. He was breathing rapidly, and he struggled to get that slowed down, lest this lovely woman think he was having an asthma attack or something.

_Jesus, get a hold of yourself damn it, _his thoughts racing. _Holy shit._ _What the hell's wrong with you?_ _Yes, she's gorgeous, but Christ, you just__ met__ her. Relax. Just slow down. Slow the hell down… _

She kept her gaze fixed out on the glowing lights of Miami, but she definitely felt every single delicious vibration radiating from him. She smiled inwardly to herself. Oh, this was going to be so incredibly enjoyable and exciting…

She felt him struggle to reclaim control, which she allowed him to do. Once she felt he was able to have a conversation, she turned to him.

She smiled and turned around, leaning her back against the railing, and asked, "So, Horatio. What do you do for a living?"

Horatio turned back to her, glad to have some measure of conversation that would save him from his wayward, rampant thoughts…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I'm a police officer. I supervise the Crime Scene Investigation Unit for the Miami Dade Police Department," he answered her readily. "We're the first ones to arrive at a crime scene, gather the evidence, and find out who the bad guys are." He was surprised how easily the words had tumbled out of his mouth. He was rarely one to spout off or talk much about himself, but somehow it was different with her. He had just met her, but he already felt a strong connection to her. And he was absolutely captivated by those emerald green eyes. They glowed and sparkled at him in the pale moonlight like they had a life of their own.

Jade smiled warmly. "You must see some very interesting things," she answered, her voice velvety smooth. "I would enjoy hearing some of your stories. Perhaps over dinner sometime?"

Horatio smiled. "I'd like that."

Again, those eyes… He found himself staring, falling into them… He blinked, and mentally shook himself. _Get a grip... _He chided himself. _Get yourself under control…_

She flashed a rather amused smile. It was delicious fun toying with him, but she decided to back off just a bit and let him have his own thoughts…

He seemed to recover, and shifted his position slightly. "And what about you? What do you do Jade?"

"I own an import-export company. Artwork and antiques. I've been fortunate, business has been good to me. I handle mainly the Asian and overseas markets, so my work schedule is a bit bizarre due to the time difference. I am somewhat flexible thanks to computers and technology, however I still mainly work nights. But that doesn't mean that I don't get the chance to enjoy the Miami sunshine once in a while."

Horatio nodded. "You must see some pretty interesting things too," he said pleasantly.

She smiled. "Indeed I do," she answered.

They stood there in the warm, sultry moonlight and chatted for some time, and Horatio never noticed the low murmurs from the sizable crowd beyond the French doors gradually diminishing. Quite a while later, he happened to casually check his watch, and was stunned to see how late it was.

"Mmmm, we should probably go back inside," she said softly. Before he could answer, she was suddenly right in front of him, her eyes locked onto his. She broke the gaze, and looked down at his chest as she slowly slid a business card into his jacket pocket. She let her hand trail down his lapel, then down the edge of his jacket, stopping and pulling her hand away before she got to his belt.

She had made that simple act so seductive, it nearly made him catch his breath.

She looked back up at him. "That's my number," she cooed. "Call me. I would enjoy seeing you again."

"You will," he replied, his voice deep and rich.

"I look forward to it," she whispered. Then she glided past him, and was gone. In an instant. It actually startled him. She was right here one second, and now she was just… gone.

He turned around, expecting to see her near the French doors, but she wasn't there. Instinctively, he walked over and opened the doors, quickly scanning the dwindling crowd for any sign of her. But there was nothing. She had simply vanished. Oddly enough, he could feel it. He knew she wasn't here.

He suddenly felt incredibly tired.

Judge Reimer approached him. "Lieutenant Caine. I'm surprised to see you still here."

"Actually, I was just leaving," Horatio answered graciously. "It was good to see you again Your Honor."

The judge nodded. "You too Lieutenant. Have a good night. Drive safe."

A polite 'thank you, you too,' and Horatio headed for the door.

VVVVV

_**Miami Dade Crime Lab, the next morning…**_

Horatio usually never minded pulling extra shifts. Sure, it was the weekend, and he was supposed to have today off. But the bad guys had been rather busy in the last 24 hours, and he had been called in. Just to help out for a few hours overseeing the processing of a sizable mountain of evidence that had been collected, pertaining to several current cases. Normally, he wouldn't mind a bit.

But today was different. He found the intrusion annoying. Actually, it wasn't the intrusion specifically; he was more annoyed with himself. It didn't help that he had stayed out way too late, and was suffering a mild sleep deficit. But the real problem was that he couldn't seem to keep his focus. And that was really irritating him. He always prided himself on being able to mentally multi-task, and at blazing speed. To be able to focus not only on the details, but to also see the bigger picture. His mental sharpness and discipline always allowed him to think rapidly, and in 3-D, and put all the pieces together quickly and efficiently.

But it just wasn't happening today. He was struggling to just be able to hold his attention long enough to listen to the information being delivered. Juggling it all around in his head was nearly impossible. His thoughts kept getting derailed, interrupted. By her. He kept seeing images of Jade in his head.

His usual team would have probably picked up on the fact that their boss was woefully distracted. They knew him very well, and they would definitely have noticed that something was not right.

But the team working today was not as familiar with him, and the reputation of the great Horatio Caine had everyone working diligently and keeping their eyes on their work, not casting any suspicious glances towards him. So he was able to maintain some semblance of authority throughout the morning.

But no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to shake the thoughts of Jade that kept pushing their way into his head, unbidden.

_You're just tired…_ He thought to himself. _Just get through this. Focus. You can get some sleep this afternoon. Right now you have got to pull it together and focus…_

He headed for the break room to grab another cup of coffee and a couple aspirin. He sat down heavily at one of the small tables, thankful that no one else was in the room at the moment. He pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, trying to rub away the mild headache and fatigue.

He moved the same hand over to absently rub his tired shoulder, and felt his arm brush against the business card in his jacket pocket. He reached in and pulled the card out. For some reason, just holding the card in his hand and reading the name 'Jade Deverau' made him feel a buzzing rush of excitement. Without thinking about it, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number. She picked up on the 3rd ring…

VVVVV

She had been sleeping deeply.

After coming home from the party, and intentionally leaving Horatio so abruptly, Jade had lain naked, sprawled on her silken bed, replaying the entire night's events in her head and reveling in every delightful moment. It was all so exciting… She considered pleasuring herself, but decided not to. It would be better to let the tension build. For now, anyway. She hummed to herself, thinking deliciously naughty thoughts.

_Oh, Horatio…_ She had fallen asleep thinking about him. _Horatio…_

She awoke to the melodic tune of her cell phone ringing, and quickly grabbed it. Seeing the number she had already programmed in, she smiled slyly before pressing the answer button.

"Hello Horatio," she said seductively.

VVVVV

Hearing her dark smooth voice in his ear nearly took his breath away. But he suddenly felt energized.

"Hello Jade," his voice replied, rich and deep.

Her voice brought more images flooding into his head. He closed his eyes, trying to regain control of his thoughts once again.

"I hope I didn't wake you," he said sincerely, suddenly remembering that she worked nights, which meant she slept during the day. He mentally kicked himself for not thinking of that before.

"Horatio," she purred. "You can wake me anytime you want."

He felt a rush go through his body, and was surprised to feel his manhood responding. He was actually getting a hard-on.

"So what can I do for you?" She asked, her voice low and sultry.

He quietly cleared his throat. "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

He could almost feel her smile through the phone. It sent bolts of energy through him.

"I would _love_ to," she replied.

"OK, I'll pick you up at 6, if that's alright," he said, feeling more and more energized by the moment. "Give me your address."

She gave him the street and house number of her Victorian-era mansion, and told him that the guard gate and house staff would be expecting him and would allow him in.

They finalized their plans.

He heard her hang up, then snapped his phone shut, now feeling a surge of raw energy. He dumped out the cup of coffee he had just poured for himself earlier, not feeling the need for it any longer.

He strode quickly out of the break room and headed for the labs, feeling strong and confident, and no longer tired.

VVVVV

Jade laid quietly in the pitch black bedroom after hanging up her phone and setting it aside on the nightstand. With a satisfied smile, she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, and exhaled it slowly. Then she began to laugh. Slowly, deeply, almost wickedly.

_This is going to be so much better than I could have hoped for…_ she thought.

She fell back to sleep with a delightedly contented smile on her face…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Horatio arrived punctually. He had decided to forego the bulky silver work Hummer in favor of his own pearl white Lexus.

Acknowledging his pre-registered identity when he had shown his ID alongside his gold badge, he had easily cleared through the private guard gate and then had slowly made his way along the long and winding brick paver driveway, which was lined on both sides with towering royal palm trees and lush tropical landscaping. He finally pulled to a stop behind a large mermaid-themed fountain, which put him right in front of the massive mansion's front doors.

He had barely put the car in park when a lean, attractive blond-haired man in a tailored grey uniform came trotting out and gracefully opened his driver's door.

"Good evening Mr. Caine," came the respectful greeting. "My name is Donovan. Please allow me to escort you inside."

Horatio exited his vehicle and nodded to the man. "Certainly. Thank you… Donovan."

He followed the blond man through the giant front doors of the mansion and into a grand foyer, where he saw a huge winding staircase leading down from the upstairs. The expansive space was decorated with tasteful pieces of artwork and sculpture.

A gigantic multi-tiered chandelier, made up of layers of crystal and gleaming silver, hung in the center, high overhead, suspended from the soaring ceiling by multiple heavy silver-clad chains. It lit the entire area with a soft, warm light.

_Christ, _Horatio thought to himself, gazing up at the monstrous light fixture. _That thing's gotta weigh more than a couple of our Hummers… Maybe more…_

His attention returned back down to ground level as Donovan motioned to a generous sized room just off the foyer. "Please, make yourself comfortable Mr. Caine. Miss Deverau will be right down. Can I get you anything Sir?"

"No, thank you," he replied. "I'm fine."

"Yes Sir." The man quickly left the room.

Horatio took the time to look around and survey his surroundings. The overall décor was contemporary, with a slightly Asian influence. But there was an eclectic factor as well.

Dark, heavy leather chairs and deep toned mahogany furniture were expertly mixed with more modern pieces. There were items in the room that were fairly new, and items that had signs of being extremely old. And from all over the world.

It was so well done that it felt both classic and comfortable at the same time. Everything oozed wealth, but it was tastefully done, and had an undercurrent of reserved class. He was impressed.

VVVVV

Jade was putting just putting her earrings on when she received the silent message.

'_He's here…' _Donovan communicated to her. _'In the sitting room downstairs...'_

'_Thank you Donnie… I'll be right down…'_ She silently projected her reply to him.

VVVVV

Donovan, or Donnie, as she affectionately called him, was one of her most loyal and devoted members of her clan.

She fondly remembered siring him all those years ago, during her long stay in Europe. She remembered meeting him in a small out-of-the-way pub somewhere in Scotland… Such a strong, vibrant mortal. And she had thoroughly enjoyed every delicious moment of their intimate pleasures. The thrill of seducing him, and then completely and thoroughly ravaging his body, pushing him to his absolute mortal physical limits, satisfying not only her own deeply insatiable sexual appetite, but nearly driving him insane with the intensity of the pleasure that she drove him to as well.

But that had been so very long ago.

Through time, Donovan had eventually learned what she really was. And once that happened, he began to doggedly demand to be made one of them… She initially resisted, but realizing the inevitable, she had finally relented. After one final night of intense primal satisfaction, she had hungrily bared her teeth and had made Donovan one of her own kind, one of her own clan, for all eternity.

But the burning fire of the passion between them had been extinguished. For both of them. Yes, she had turned to him at times, just for pure physical release. But the fiery drive… the devouring lust… it was no longer there, and they both knew it.

Jade had accepted the fact, but it still left her feeling empty and lonely.

Donovan was contented to be her house servant. He took great pride in taking care of things for her, in gratitude for making him immortal, for giving him the amazing gift of eternal life. He would never, ever betray her. He would be loyal to her no matter what, and he would protect her with his last dying breath.

Standing well out of sight, Donovan paused for a moment, and realized that it had been quite some time since he had seen any mortal male pass through these doors. He couldn't help but smile to himself after meeting this new man. He was impressive, and he could see why Jade had targeted him. Powerful, strong, and virile. And a red-head… which traditionally meant that there was some fire in his soul. So he would possess strength, stamina, and a fierce determination. But Donovan also noted how well guarded he was. Keeping all of his raw desires, hungers and passions completely locked up and tightly controlled.

He smiled again to himself, knowing how easily Jade would smash through those bonds, thoroughly obliterating them and unleashing everything he was holding deep down inside him. She would be the one in complete control…

VVVVV

Horatio turned towards the doorway as he heard the faint click of heels somewhere behind him. He caught sight of her, slowly descending the massive staircase, and his breath caught for a second. She was stunning. Her long raven-black hair hung straight down her back, like a soft bolt of silk fabric. He pictured running his hands through it…

Her pale green satin dress clung to every one of her luscious curves. If he touched her, he knew he would be able to feel the heat of her body radiating through the thin fabric, until he slowly peeled it from her body… Her warm skin would feel even softer under his hands as he pulled her to him, claiming her mouth with his in a deeply passionate kiss…

Other images began to rapidly flood his mind, each one more lustful than the last.

He felt a rush of desire charge through him, and silently began waging another major battle in his head, struggling to keep himself under control and harness his wildly erotic imagination.

Jade looked over at him, and her emerald eyes immediately locked onto his. He was rooted in place, every fiber of his being focused on the gorgeous woman moving towards him. It felt like she was looking right down into his soul. Her gaze never wavered and a warm smile came to her face as she crossed the foyer. She could feel his craving for her, buried under the surface, building, growing. She reveled in it.

"Hello again Horatio," she purred. "I'm so delighted that you called. I have to admit, I've been thinking about you all day."

Horatio returned her smile. "So have I".

"You have a very beautiful home," he added.

"Thank you," she replied sincerely. "Why don't we come back here after dinner for a drink, and I'll show you around a bit."

"I'd like that." Yet again, he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from hers.

"Wonderful," she said smoothly. "This should prove to be a very enjoyable evening."

"It already is," he answered.

She smiled appreciatively.

"Shall we?" She said, motioning towards the door.

"Absolutely," he replied. And ever the gentleman, he turned and held his elbow slightly away from his side.

She curled her arm around his and flashed him another brilliant smile as they walked out to his car.

VVVVV

Dinner was exquisite. Horatio had chosen one of the more upscale restaurants in the City, but it wasn't too over the top. It was elegant without being pretentious. And he had to admit, he secretly enjoyed the envious looks of the other males in the room as he and his stunningly beautiful date were shown to their table. It was a quiet table for two, comfortably intimate, awash with the pale amber glow of candlelight.

The food was superb, and they took their time, talking easily. Getting to know each other.

He found himself feeling surprisingly comfortable in her presence, which intrigued him. She was so different from any other woman he had ever met. She evoked thoughts and feelings in him that he had never experienced before.

Jade didn't push him, and throughout the entire dinner Horatio was successful at keeping his thoughts from wandering too far below his belt.

Just after they had finished dessert, Jade reached over and placed her hand over his, and softly caressed her fingers across the back of his hand. It was such a small, simple gesture, but it was incredibly sensuous. And it caught him completely off-guard. He felt like a bolt of electricity had just arced through his entire body. And his pulse wasn't the only thing that immediately jumped. A wave of lust and hunger surged through him, and for a moment he actually entertained the thought of launching himself across the table and tearing her clothes off right here.

"You are quite a remarkable man, Horatio," she said as she looked back up at him seductively. She was enjoying the feeling of the sexual tension within him ratcheting up another notch. She delighted in the giddy joy of toying with him like this, slowly turning up the heat and seeing such an intense and immediate reaction from him.

"Thank you," he managed to get the words out as he felt his iron-clad bonds of self-control continue to slip away from him. He found himself captivated once again by those deep green eyes.

The waiter gracefully approached the table to clear away the plates and ask if there was anything else he could get for them. Horatio never responded to him. His gaze stayed riveted on Jade, picturing her laying naked and splayed across the table in front of him. His mind clicking through snapshots of all the things he wanted to do to her.

She decided it was time to back off again. Smiling warmly, she released him. She pulled her hand from Horatio's and acknowledged the waiter, politely informing him that they were done. The man nodded, and said he would be right back with the check.

Horatio snapped out of his erotic trance, and began a valiant attempt to will his rock hard manhood back down to a level that would allow him to walk out of the restaurant without looking like he had a tent in his pants.

He took a deep breath, and Jade let him be. The check arrived, and Horatio paid it. When the waiter had left, he looked over and smiled warmly at her.

"You are an amazing woman Jade," he said sincerely. "This has been wonderful." He couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that this fantastic date would soon be drawing to a close.

"Mmmm. I couldn't agree more," she replied. "But the evening's not over yet. I promised you a tour of my home, remember?"

How could he have forgotten that? The thought of spending more time with her thrilled him.

"Ah, yes, so you did. I'm looking forward to it." He finally felt relatively confident that he could now safely exit the building, so he stood up and helped her from her chair.

They walked out into the balmy Miami night air and the valet brought his car around. Horatio pulled smoothly out into traffic and headed back toward Jade's mansion…

VVVVV

**Please feel free to shoot me a review… I thrive on feedback! Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: Thanks to all of you for the great reviews! This chapter starts to head into *adults only* territory, although we're not totally explicit yet... Just some fair warning…**_

Chapter 5

Horatio's white Lexus had barely coasted to a stop in front of the massive mansion, when the faithful Donovan was smoothly down the front steps and opening the passenger door for Jade to exit. With surprising speed, he was suddenly right there on the driver's side, opening the door for Horatio.

As the three of them entered through the looming front doors, Jade turned to Donovan.

"Donnie, dear, it's late," she said warmly, in her elegantly light European accent. "I'm sure I won't need anything else tonight. You can go."

Unseen to Horatio, Donovan gave her a sly, knowing smile.

"Yes ma'am," he replied, his voice the picture of professionalism. "Have a lovely evening."

He also turned and nodded to her blue-eyed guest. "Pleasure to meet you, Sir."

"You too, Donovan," Horatio answered. "Thank you."

_He's clueless… _Donovan thought, suppressing a smile. _He has absolutely no idea what's in store for him…_

He turned and bowed respectfully to Jade before making a quiet exit.

When Donovan was outside the mansion and had just taken flight over the rooftop, he couldn't help himself. He smiled broadly and sent one more thought to her. _He's a strong one. Have fun…_

She responded almost immediately, he could feel her almost giddy with delight. _Thank you Donnie… Now run along… And why don't you take tomorrow off…_

_Yes Ma'am… Thank you…_ he answered as he flew further away, trying not to actually giggle out loud. Just thinking about what his lovely Sire was going to do to the strong red-haired mortal was making him hungry for some soft, pleasuring flesh of his own. He headed off towards the beckoning lights of the upscale clubs of downtown Miami.

VVVVV

Jade strolled casually through the rooms and halls of the large mansion, her arm draped comfortably over his, and at times, leaning sensually against his side, pointing out some historical feature or a particular piece of art that she favored.

Horatio was thoroughly enjoying the tour, it was a truly fascinating place and the scientific side of him was genuinely intrigued by the vast collection of paintings, sculptures and other unique items from all over the world. But, even with all that, at times he found his attention wandering. Especially when she leaned against him. It was such an innocent thing, or so he thought. But he could feel the delicious warmth of her strong, lean body pressing against him, and it was taking all the mental focus he could muster to keep his mind on what she was saying.

Jade was actually quite delighted to show Horatio some of her favorite things, which she had collected over the centuries. She could tell that he really was genuinely interested. He had a passion for knowledge, for history… his intelligence was so very, very refreshing. And all wrapped up in such a magnificent and powerful body. She was getting hungrier and hungrier for him.

She decided not to toy with him as she showed him around her home. She could easily control his thoughts, and he would be completely under her power and do whatever she wished him to do. But that was not what she wanted. Not with him.

She never actually put any thoughts into his head, she just entranced him with her lovely eyes, and skillfully plucked away at the hearty bonds of his iron-clad self-control with the skill of a surgeon, letting his deeply buried passions come rushing and bubbling to the surface. And she was elated with what she had already felt from him. There was a red-hot torrent of unsatisfied need, wanton lust and driving desire that he was keeping tightly locked down and very carefully guarded. And she was going to completely unleash it…

VVVVV

Horatio was completely captivated with the comfortable tour of the amazingly massive mansion. And after wandering along so many twists and turns of so many halls and rooms, he suddenly realized that he had no idea where they were.

He was lulled by the smooth sound and cadence of her velvety voice, and the feel of her incredibly supple body so close at his side. They were now standing on the third story balcony overlooking the expansive back gardens, basking in the balmy Miami moonlight.

Horatio knew he would be dog tired tomorrow, but he felt so energized when he was around Jade. He couldn't explain it. And he felt so many long-forgotten stirrings deep within himself. Floods of erotic thoughts flashed though his mind every time he looked at her. An intense burning passion was rapidly awakening within him, and Jade was the sole focus of his desire. He kept trying to tell himself to calm down, he had just met this gorgeous woman, and this was only their first date. But his body didn't seem to want to listen to reason.

She knew that it had already been quite a very long day for him, but she could still feel the strong vibrating energy coming from deep within him, humming like a high-tension wire. So she decided to make her initial move and see how he would respond.

"Let's go back inside," she said, gently tugging him back into the soft warm glow of the hallway which was only mere steps from her lavish bedroom.

She released his arm and slowly moved around and turned to face him, her deep emerald eyes locking onto his sparkling baby blues. She reached out her hand and softly touched the side of his neck. She heard his sharp intake of air and felt his pulse jump. She slowly dragged her hand down along his neck, her eyes leaving his and focusing on the path that her hand was taking.

Horatio stood rooted to the spot that he was standing, feeling the most amazing rush of sensuous energy.

Jade slowly trailed her hand along his neck, feeling his pulse throb against her fingers. She gently dragged one perfectly manicured fingernail along the slight depression in his neck just below his Adam's apple, and traced a slow, sensual line all the way down to the first button of his open collar shirt. She felt his breathing rate pick up as her fingers lightly brushed across his collarbone.

She flattened her palm against his chest, feeling his heart gently pounding through the soft designer fabric. She closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the feel. But then she refocused and kept going. She dragged her hand further down across his well-defined chest, her eyes still following every movement of her hand on him.

She was rewarded with the feeling of both of his warm hands slowly wandering up her arms, completely of their own free will.

Then she let her other hand join her own exploration. She gently placed both hands on his stomach. Not pausing for a second, she slowly slid both hands away from each other, gliding across his lower ribcage and slipping under his expensive designer jacket. She moved her hands all the way around to his back and embraced him, pressing her body fully against his and grazing her nails across his skin through the soft fabric. She heard him softly moan at the sensation.

She lifted her gaze up, only to find his eyes closed and his head tilted slightly back, totally absorbed in the tactile pleasure he was feeling.

"Horatio," she whispered seductively.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked down into hers. She could see dark lust, the raw hunger, the long-suppressed need and desire, but still barely harnessed.

She decided to very carefully pluck the last remaining strands of his self-imposed chains away, while gazing deeply into his crystal blue eyes.

She heard him gasp, and then he responded with fervor. He leaned her back as he tightened his arms around her, swooping in and passionately claiming her lips with his. He kissed her deeply and passionately, rocking his mouth against hers with a raging hunger. It wasn't long before his tongue was licking along her teeth, demanding access to her mouth, which she readily granted.

She moaned deeply into his ravenous kiss as she opened her mouth to him. Her hands traveled up his back, clutching handfuls of the expensive dress shirt fabric and pulling his shirt tails free from the confines of his belt. Finally, her hands slipped underneath the silky fabric and she reveled in the feel his lean, taught back muscles moving under her touch.

She ran her hands up and down his muscular back, raking his hot skin with her nails, as he continued to hungrily kiss her, igniting his passions even further.

She began to breathe heavily as her own building desire and lust for this amazing mortal began to rise to the surface. She pulled her hands from his warm skin and backed away just enough to reach up and shove his suit jacket roughly off of his shoulders… He held her lustful gaze as he released his hold on her, only long enough to extend his arms behind him and let the designer garment fall to the floor. Then he immediately wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her body against him and kissing her deeply.

Horatio felt a massive rush of passionate desire course through him, and briefly struggled with his apparent inability to control it. Everything with Jade was just so… so intense… so completely out-of-control. And he couldn't seem to stop himself. And then he realized that he didn't _want_ to stop himself. He wanted her. He absolutely craved her. Some part of his brain knew that this should frighten him. It should alarm him. But his deeply repressed desires were screaming louder than any possible shred of rational logic. And he found himself giving into it completely…

He looked down into her lovely deep green eyes, and just let go, allowing his deep driving primal desires to take over.

"Jade…" he growled lowly before continuing to ravage her with passionate kisses. He slowly backed her up against the wall in the quiet hallway, shoving his hips against hers. She could feel his rapidly growing arousal, and a rush of excitement coursed through her as her body responded to him.

She knew that Horatio Caine was exactly what she wanted… and everything that she needed… and possibly so much more… And she wanted him. _Now_.

Still staying entwined with him, Jade moved them both away from the wall and slowly backed her way to the large French doors that opened into her bedroom. They were both panting heavily. Under the continuing onslaught of his searing kisses and wandering hands, she guided him across the room and up onto the silken sheets of her huge bed.

They both began clawing at each other in earnest… wanting to hastily remove every piece of the annoying clothing that was in the way… both desperately wanting to feel the naked skin of the other… and completely devour each other…

_**R & R please! The next chapter is already in process!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**SERIOUS *ADULTS ONLY* WARNING! I'm not kidding! **_

_**This Chapter contains *EXPLICIT ADULT SEXUAL CONTENT!* You have been WARNED!**_

_**Okay everyone, take a deep breath… Here we go…..**_

JADE

Chapter 6

The two figures pawed wildly at each other in the softly lit room, urgently seeking the bare flesh of the other. They hungrily kissed each other as they moved, tongues dueling and mouths gasping for air.

Jade managed to undo a couple of the buttons on Horatio's shirt, but got then impatient and just ripped the rest of the fabric open, sending several buttons flying in the process. Horatio didn't care. He was just as busy hauling the zipper of Jade's thin dress down along her back, but it caught momentarily, causing him to grab a fistful of the flimsy material and giving it one mighty pull. He heard the sound of tearing fabric and was rewarded with the immediate result of the offending material being roughly pulled from her lithe frame and tossed to the side of the bed. He now had access to her deliciously naked body.

He felt a surge of raw passion and desire burst up through him like a geyser as he realized that she had already kicked her shoes off, and she wasn't wearing anything else…

He didn't have time to completely take the sight in as he immediately felt her hands on his belt, grabbing at the buckle, impatiently pulling and tugging. He heard more sounds of tearing fabric as she made quick work of removing his pants, which were tossed aside and joined the pile of damaged and discarded clothing along the sides of the huge bed.

Horatio felt himself get roughly shoved onto his back, and his underwear was gone in a flash, freeing his rock hard erection.

Then Jade slowed things down a bit. She settled herself down between his legs and locked onto his eyes with a hungry, sensual look. Her gaze never left his as she slowly ran her tongue along the base of his delightfully large cock, feeling him jump and twitch. She smiled seductively, and wrapped her lips around him, sliding him deeper and deeper into her warm mouth. The sensations were out of this world. He threw his head back against the bed with a loud deep moan.

No woman that he had ever known had been so amazingly erotic with him, so insanely passionate. She made him feel a level of pleasure and hunger that was far beyond anything he had ever experienced. She skillfully played his body like an orchestral instrument. He had never felt anything like it. It was intoxicating.

"Uhhhh, Jade…" Horatio moaned.

He wound one hand into her soft, raven black hair as she continued to sensually work her mouth on him, the other hand desperately clutching a healthy handful of the silken sheets. She continued to alternate between deep-throating him, then sliding her hot mouth back up and flicking and swirling her tongue around his tip, then gently suckling on him, before going all the way back down again. She was thoroughly enjoying herself, and delighted at hearing his deep moans and gasps of pleasure.

She didn't want to stop, he just tasted so good… but she knew he wasn't going to be able to handle too much more, and she desperately wanted to feel him inside her…

But to her surprise and absolute delight, he had apparently made the same decision and took some deliciously aggressive action. She felt his hand tighten in her hair, and pulled her head firmly up and off of him. He reached down and grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled her up next to him, and quickly rolled on top of her, pushing her legs apart with his knees. She felt a huge rush of excitement at the healthy show of dominance…

With no hesitation, he lunged his hips forward and buried himself inside her with one forceful stroke. She was so wet with her desire for him that he easily slid fully and deeply into her, and she gave a light squeal of absolute pleasure at the feeling of his generous size filling her up.

"Oh, Horatio… yes…" she gasped, feeling him start to move. She wrapped her legs around him as he nearly pulled completely out of her before plowing back in again, quickly adopting a steady rhythm of deep powerful strokes. They were both moaning loudly at the incredible feelings of pleasure that they were giving each other. He reveled in the delicious feel of her slick wetness as he continued to stroke her deeply.

Then he heard Jade give a low sounding groan, and felt her body begin to tighten around him. He picked up his pace as he heard her moans increasing in both pitch and volume. He knew she was close, and he wasn't far behind…

With a high-pitched yelp of ecstasy, Jade exploded beneath him, her lean body shuddering, convulsing, and tightening down on him.

Horatio held back his own torrential release for as long as he possibly could. He gave a few final rough strokes before growling her name and empting himself deep inside her with such a ferocity that he felt his vision blur. He rode the waves of his intense orgasm, and finally slumped on top of her, gasping for breath.

They laid together for a bit, both panting and basking in the glow of their intense and powerful love-making session.

Jade quickly recovered, and happily allowed this glorious red-headed mortal plenty of additional time to recover as well. She grazed her nails gently across his muscular back, encouraged by his responsive moans.

_I hope he doesn't think we're done for the night…_ she thought to herself. That delightful session was a wonderful appetizer, but she was still looking forward to the main course…

She felt her own deep, raw and raging need begin to surge to the surface. But she still had to be careful, she sincerely didn't want to hurt him. She wondered if she were pushing him too far, too fast. She decided to try a little test…

"Horatio," she whispered softly. He was still slightly dazed, but he moved and slid his body halfway off of her, mistakenly thinking that perhaps he was too heavy on her. But she stopped him with her warm embrace. He settled against her as she grabbed his hand and brought his wrist up to her mouth. She flicked her tongue out, and slowly licked along his wrist. He jumped and moaned. She turned his hand further over, and gave his wrist a sensual, languid kiss, she could feel his pulse jumping against her tongue. She moaned loudly, sounding like a purring lioness, and she felt him respond. She could barely contain her elation. This wondrous man was so much more than she could have ever hoped for.

Her lust and desire for this amazing mortal began to take over as she planted tiny hot little kisses along the base of his thumb, then across his open palm. She changed her grip on his hand, and slipped his index finger into her warm mouth and suckled it gently.

He gasped with pleasure. He could feel himself getting hard again, and he began to slowly grind his hips against her incredible body, breathing heavily.

Feeling him respond so strongly, her own desires surged up like a white hot flame, and she became almost giddy with anticipation… She could feel him…

His deliciously lean, powerful body was bristling with unbridled craving, and so was hers…

Finally, she felt it was time. Her wanton, driving desire for him was at its boiling point. It was time for her to see if he could truly give her what she really wanted… what she really needed…

With amazing strength and agility, she rolled them both over in one smooth motion, which startled Horatio, snapping his eyes open. But he quickly succumbed to her sensual touch, and was overcome by the feeling of his growing passions rapidly rising up once more.

She began moving on top of him as she straddled him, her eyes were nearly black with raw hunger. She moved and undulated over him, her mouth and tongue licking and lightly nipping at his pleasure points, seemingly everywhere at once, hyper-stimulating him. He moaned deeply, getting lost in the overwhelming sensations of pure pleasure. His body responded completely to every move she made. She kept up her skillful ministrations until he was so rock hard, he thought he might burst a blood vessel.

Suddenly she stopped, and grabbed both his arms, raised them up, and held them above his head. She clamped her hands around his wrists, pinning him in place with amazing strength. She gazed into his eyes for a moment, not moving a muscle, delighted with the intense passion he possessed and was willfully displaying. She leaned down and kissed him deeply. She pulled back up and locked her eyes onto his once more.

"Ready?" she whispered hoarsely. He had no idea what she meant, but he nodded anyway. Anything and everything with this incredible woman was pure pleasure…

But his thoughts were interrupted as she suddenly plunged herself down onto him, and began riding him relentlessly. He threw his head back against the bed, deeply moaning and gasping, but also stunned by the sheer ferocity. The brutal force she was using alarmed him, anything that savage had to be hurting her… but looking back up at her, he saw that her face was a picture of absolute ecstasy.

It wasn't long though, before her forceful barrage pushed his head back down against the bed and closed his eyes, his body and brain both being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of pleasure being generated.

Jade drove her slender, lithe body down against him violently, ramming herself down onto his rigid cock, forcefully driving him deeply inside her, over and over. The sensations he felt began to rapidly build in intensity by leaps and bounds. He did feel some slight twinges of discomfort at the harshness of her bodily assault on him, and he wondered if he might have some bruises to show for this later…

But the mind-blowing pleasure his body was feeling drowned out everything else, and even though he was gasping for air, he didn't want it to stop.

She continued her onslaught, and began to steadily increase her pace and tempo. He was finding it more and more difficult to breathe, to get enough air into his lungs…

Her moans of pleasure began to sound more like feral growls. As her pace and ferocity increased, her iron-like grip on his wrists began to tighten, almost painfully. He vaguely managed to wonder if he would have some bruises on his wrists as well… But those thoughts were easily drowned out by the ever-increasing ferocity of her ride on him.

Her intensity and pace continued to increase, driving harder and faster. With every aggressive stroke, she was clamping down on him, the violence of the penetration offset by the velvety wetness of her sex. Her taut silken muscles squeezed him mercilessly, which sent incredible waves of intense pleasure coursing through him…

This wild creature ravaging his body was overwhelming every one of his senses, and catapulting him towards the most earth-shattering orgasm he had ever experienced. He could feel the intense waves of incredible pleasure building up on top of each other, driving him higher and higher, towards a cataclysmic release…

"Jade…" he managed to gasp, knowing he was about to lose it. She continued to drive him, clenching her muscles around him, riding him with a wild vengeance. Finally, he was completely overwhelmed and unable to hold it back any longer. The most powerful orgasm he had ever had in his entire life roared through his body like a jetliner crashing.

He hurtled over the edge as a loud, ragged scream of pure lust tore from his throat and he pumped his hips up uncontrollably, colliding with her aggressive assault. His entire body shook violently as wave after wave of incredibly intense pleasure ripped through him and he emptied himself deep inside her. Colored lights flashed behind his eyes as he teetered on the brink of consciousness.

She felt his sweet mortal seed flood into her, and slammed her body down onto him with a final violent lunge, burying him deep inside. "Ah, Yesssssss…!" she hissed. She let out a low growl, which quickly escalated to a nearly glass-shattering shriek as her own orgasm rocketed through her like an earthquake. She lost herself completely in the rapturous climax, reveling in every delightful, satisfying sensation. It had been such a long time since she had felt such delicious, satisfying intensity. Her body shook and convulsed, and she thoroughly enjoyed every single second of it…

Once the cascades of her release finally subsided, she returned her attention to the now still and relatively quiet figure pinned beneath her. He was bathed in a thin sweat, his eyes closed, breathing in ragged gasps. She released her harsh grip on his wrists and pulled his arms back down from over his head, settling them gently on her hips. He was completely pliant, and she could tell that he was barely conscious. She smiled lovingly at the sight of him, and brushed a few wayward strands of his soft red hair away from his face with a tender touch. She let her hands gently wander across his pale neck and chest in whisper soft caresses. She could feel his pulse still pounding, but she could also feel him slowly recovering.

Finally, his eyes fluttered to half-open, slowly focusing. She smiled warmly at him, and saw him smile tiredly back, before sliding off of him and curling herself up against his side.

VVVVV

He slowly came back to reality, and was convinced that he had actually passed out for a little while there. Such indescribable pleasure. It was mind bending. He had never experienced anything like it. Like being launched off into the orbit of another planet.

His heart was finally slowing, no longer threatening to hammer itself through his rib cage. He struggled to fully open his heavy eyes, but was only mildly successful. He was rewarded by the sight of her smiling at him, her deep green eyes glowing with affection. He smiled back. Then he felt her slide down alongside him, and cuddle up close. He felt the light touch of her fingers stroking his throat, then wandering down to his chest, her fingernails grazing soft lines over his lightly thundering heart.

He had never felt so utterly spent, so completely drained. It felt as though his entire body was suddenly made of concrete, he didn't have the energy to move at all. He was absolutely exhausted. But his body still hummed from the intensity of his earth-shattering orgasm. Nothing on this earth had ever felt so amazingly good.

"Mmmmmmm," she lifted her head up and purred in his ear. "Well done, my love," she said seductively, her hands still playing on his overheated skin. "You are quite remarkable."

She placed a lingering kiss on his neck, just below his ear. The contact sent a small shiver through him, combined with the cool air in the room.

She reached down and pulled the rich, silk bedding up and over them both. She pulled him close to her, maneuvering his weight around with surprising ease, and sensuously entwined her body with his.

"Don't worry, Horatio. I will keep you nice and warm," she cooed. "Rest now, my love. Go to sleep."

Unable to keep his eyes open any longer, Horatio obeyed and immediately fell into a deep, exhausted slumber.

She held him close, listening to him breathe, hearing the rhythm of his heartbeat, and the sound of his blood coursing through his veins… calling to her… but no. She would not answer that call… That was not what she wanted from him.

A satisfied smile curved across her mouth and she sighed contentedly. She had finally found someone. Someone worthy. And she planned to keep this one around for quite a while. His occupation could pose some challenges, but she could deal with that.

First thing tomorrow, she would notify Galean, the Prince of Miami. That would put all the others on notice that this particular mortal male was now claimed, and under her specific and direct protection.

Then she also drifted off to sleep, wrapped around her new lover, much more satisfied than she had been in a very, very long time…

_**Please R&R! And thanks to all who have responded and are enjoying. I love the awesome reviews!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: My apologies for the long delay… I hate it when life gets in the way of my writing! Anyway, I am back and happily tapping away at the keyboard… FYI-This is not as explicit, but still rated M!**_

Chapter 7

The two lovers laid together and slumbered quietly, completely intertwined with each other. Throughout the night, Horatio would stir slightly, only to feel a soft and gentle hand caress the side of his face, and for a short while all would fade to black again…

Horatio slept deeply. Jade held her new and treasured lover closely, their naked forms pressed against one another, and draped comfortably by the layers of lavish silk sheets.

Eventually, Horatio awoke. He moved into consciousness slowly, gradually becoming aware of his exotic lover sleeping deeply beside him. Barely moving a muscle, he breathed deeply and the scent of jasmine and vanilla filled his nostrils, bringing a small pleasant smile to his face. He fluttered his eyes open and became aware of the warm slender arms wrapped around him. He stirred ever so slightly, and the sensuous feeling of the soft silken sheets gently sliding across his skin caused him to briefly close his eyes again, savoring the delicious sensation.

He opened his eyes again and began to take in his surroundings. The room was bathed in gentle amber light. But it was not from the sunrise… There were no windows…

Part of the soft light was from candles. Without moving or lifting his head, he could see three oversized pillar candles on a heavy-looking black curved wrought iron stand beside the bed. The large, 4-wicked candles were still burning, but there were liquid puddles in the holders beneath them and several thick tendrils of dripping wax overlapping and intertwining with each other, looking like cave stalactites that were competing as to which one could reach the floor first.

Looking slowly upwards, Horatio caught sight of the other provider of the soft illumination. There was another large chandelier, hanging directly over the bed. This one was much more delicate and ornate than the heavy massive piece he had seen in the foyer. Much more appropriate for such a lavish bedroom. It looked to be a fancy French-style design, with swirly arms gilded in gold, and heavy with multitudes of decadent sparkling teardrop-shaped crystals that bounced the faint yellow light of the barely glowing electric bulbs throughout the room.

The walls were covered in thick, rich, burgundy colored velvet that stretched from floor to ceiling around most of the room. It was like a warm cocoon, not a hint of the outside world was able to intrude into this lovely dark sanctuary.

Horatio could see no clock, and therefore had no idea what time it was. But he honestly didn't care. All he knew was that he felt incredible. Absolutely wonderful. And nothing else really mattered. As such, he was reluctant to stir. This was such a warm and comfortable place, it was like a magical spell had been cast, and he did not want to break it. At this moment, he felt like he wanted to stay right here for all eternity.

Visions of the previous evening's activities began to flood back to him… _Jade. _The raw lust, the unbridled passion, the cataclysmic release… His entire body still hummed and tingled from the experience. In his entire life, he had never felt anything like this.

He was still pressed tightly against his lover's naked curves, and that, fuelled by his erotically wayward thoughts, caused a renewed erotic response from his body. He suddenly found himself getting wildly aroused.

But the previous encounter with his enthusiastic lover had unfortunately left some after-effects. As his manhood began to get hard, a measure of bruised discomfort made itself known. He clamped his teeth and hissed as his body lightly jolted in her arms.

"Mmmmmmm," she purred, gradually rising into consciousness and pressing back against the feel of his arousal. But then she felt him jolt and gasp, and it startled her.

She awoke immediately, and moving smoothly, she eased herself over on top of him, gently caressing his hair. "Oh, my dear Horatio," she cooed. "Did I hurt you?"

He was lulled by her sweet exotic voice, but managed to stammer an answer. "Um, only… a little… I'm sorry…"

She pulled back slowly and looked at him, her emerald green eyes sparkling with concern in the soft light. She ran a sensual finger along his lips. "Oh, no. You have nothing to be sorry for, my love," she cooed lovingly. "I'm the one to be sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough with you."

She ran a hand softly along the side of his face, gently caressing his cheek with her manicured nails.

"It's just been so long… so very long…" she said sadly. She gazed into his deep blue eyes and a soft smile came to her face.

"Let me make it up to you," she said. She was hungry, especially after the massive amount of energy she had expended with her newly found mortal lover. But she could wait. She would feed later… Right now she had something else on her mind…

She ran her tongue along his neck, delighting in the quickening pulse she felt there. She heard him gasp as she gently nibbled with her lips on his earlobe.

"I know just what you need," Jade whispered into his ear.

Horatio caught his breath as her warm lips pressed along his neck, then down against his chest, and then a trail of hot kisses began to move deliberately lower and lower down his body. She lavished him with kisses across his stomach, still moving ever lower... He closed his eyes and moaned.

Determined that this time would not be about her, but would only be about pleasuring him, she wrapped her warm mouth around him. Carefully keeping all of her teeth at bay, she began to lick and suckle away all of the traces of the harshness from their previous encounter.

She happily settled herself between his hips and delighted in the sounds of his erotic moans and gasps as she skillfully coaxed him towards yet another mind-bending climax…

_***** New chapter(s) coming soon, reviews are always welcome! **_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: My sincerest apologies for the long delays in updates lately… warmest thanks to all my awesome readers out there for your patience!**_

Chapter 8

After yet another earth-shattering sexual escapade, both Jade and Horatio fell back asleep once again, their arms and legs comfortably wrapped around each other. Neither one stirred for quite some time.

Eventually, Horatio slowly awoke from his deep slumber, finding himself wrapped in the warm embrace of his exotic lover. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever felt so relaxed and completely satisfied. His whole body felt sated and warm, but every nerve path still tingled and hummed from the heights of ecstasy he had experienced. He had never felt anything like it. Such a warm, comfortable, wonderful place... And he found himself rather reluctant to leave it…

Jade responded to his slight movement and moaned softly,

"Mmmmm," she moaned deeply. "Horatio…"

She relished the feel of the warm mortal body beside her, entwined with hers. It had been so long… so very, very long since she had felt such true warmth…

Jade nibbled on his fingertips. Fresh lust flashed through her veins. And despite the marathon sessions of lovemaking they had already performed, Horatio also found himself beginning to lustfully long for more…

But just as his arousal was beginning to rapidly rekindle, the ethereal mood was rudely interrupted by the muffled but unmistakable shrill ring of his cell phone. He halted his movements and froze in place, listening intently. A harsh dose of reality crashed through his consciousness and his logical brain clicked into gear.

"My phone…" he said, blinking at Jade with a worried expression. "That's… my phone… I have to find it…"

He sat up abruptly, and swung his legs over the side of the bed, feeling the fuzzy fur of the huge animal skin rug between his bare toes as he began to hurriedly toss through the various items on the floor, searching for the ringing device. He finally saw a familiar clothing pattern, and reached down to retrieve it. What he held up startled him. In his hands was what used to be a pair of expensive tailored trousers. However, they were now in ribbons. The same went for his designer dress shirt. It was in shreds, nearly unrecognizable. His jacket… where the hell was his jacket? No, forget the jacket. He remembered it was dropped somewhere out in the hallway. He paused, knowing he only had a few more rings before it went to voice mail, and homed in on the shrill sound. His began feeling quickly and methodically around the floor, before his fingers finally found what he was searching for. He snatched up the phone and hurriedly answered it.

Jade rolled onto her side and watched silently as her wondrous lover devoted his entire consciousness to finding his cell phone. She did not interfere. Although mildly annoyed at the interruption of the continued blissful indulgence of her carnal desires, she also understood that this was a very big part of what made this mortal man tick. It was what motivated him. It was what empowered him.

"Caine," Horatio spoke forcefully and evenly into the phone, trying not to sound out of breath.

He listened for a moment, then responded.

"Understood. No, it's not a problem," he said firmly. "I'm on my way. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

He hung up his phone and turned to look a Jade. She was lying there, sensuously draped in the deep silken sheets, looking at him with those sparkling deep emerald eyes. He suddenly realized that he was standing there stark naked.

"Um, Jade," he said sadly. "I'm sorry sweetheart, but… I have to go."

He looked down at the floor, and the realization hit him that he had no viable clothing to speak of.

"I understand, my love," Jade purred smoothly. "Duty calls."

Horatio picked up his shredded trousers once again, examined them briefly, then dropped them dismissively back to the floor. He stood there and put his hands on his hips, his fingers lightly thrumming against his own bare skin, thinking.

Jade gasped and sat up.

"Oh, my, Horatio," she said, stifling an embarrassed giggle at the tatters she had made of his clothing. "I'm afraid I did that… Oh, I'm so sorry… I didn't realize my own strength…"

She shrugged out from under the covers and sidled across the bed and sat before him seductively. She traced a manicured nail down the center of his chest.

"Well now, you certainly can't go anywhere like this," she said playfully. "I can check Donovan's closet for you if you wish…"

Horatio reached down and gathered her up into his arms, briefly euphoric in the feel of her silken skin pressed against his own. But honor and duty were calling louder than his libido.

"It's alright," he said confidently. "Crime scenes can be quite messy sometimes. So I always keep a spare suit in my trunk. I just need a robe or something to get to my car."

"Hmmm," Jade replied with appreciative wonder. "Well aren't you just the well-prepared boy-scout."

She gazed into his glacial blue eyes and knew she could make him stay if she wanted to. She could push her own will into his thoughts and he would be a mere puppet, completely submissive and compliant to her every whim. But that is not what she wanted.

True, she had skillfully plucked away all the heavy bonds of his stalwart self-control. And had arranged things so that the absence of that self-control could be fully taken advantage of. And it had been such a erotically delectable escapade. The first of what she believed would be many, many more.

So she didn't want to control him. No. That would quench his own fiery passions, quell his voracious inner drive, and completely ruin the rush she felt at both taking him and having him. And there was no way she would ever want to do that.

She kissed him tenderly, and held his gaze softly for a moment, before pulling away.

"You just wait right here, my dear Horatio. I'll get you something."

She jumped off the bed and sauntered across the room, feeling the lingering hungry gaze of her lover's eyes on her lithe body as she moved. She disappeared quickly into her enormous closet, then emerged with a floor length soft white terry-cloth robe.

She walked over behind him and held the robe open as Horatio pushed his arms in and shrugged the luxuriously soft garment up onto his shoulders.

"Thank you," he said, smiling warmly. "I'll make sure you get this back."

"Mmmmm, no need. It looks wonderful on you. Keep it. Take it home. It's yours," she said with a sultry voice.

Horatio nodded, then reached back down and retrieved his cell phone. He took a few more moments to grab his shoes and find his car keys and his flat badge, which he always carried when he was off-duty. He knew his weapon and regular gold duty-shield were secured down in the trunk of his car.

He started to say something else to Jade, but she quickly walked up in front of him and put a finger over his lips.

"Stop stalling, Lieutenant," she said pleasantly chiding. "You need to get going. I understand. Now go…"

Horatio gave her a quick peck on the lips before rushing down the sweeping staircase and out the massive front doors.

He stopped for a brief moment, shocked at the realization that it was night outside. His brain grappled with the fact that he had just spent an entire day in bed with an exotically beautiful woman… He couldn't believe it…

But those thoughts were quickly pushed aside as he strode to his car and popped the trunk. He pulled out a dry cleaners bag with a Hugo Boss tailored suit inside, and made quick work of slipping into it. He popped into the driver's seat, fired the engine, and pulled away from the gracious mansion.

Duty was indeed calling. There was a crime scene waiting for him…

_***** Reviews are always welcome!*****_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jade waited patiently in the large foyer, keeping her inner thoughts well-guarded and hidden, forcing herself to maintain a calm and cool presence on all levels. This meeting was a very important one, and she knew she must handle it very carefully…

As soon as Horatio had left her home, she had retrieved his suit jacket from the hallway and had taken a few moments reveling around in her oversized bed with the garment, wrapping it around her, scrunching it up and pushing her nose into it. She inhaled his scent deeply, her heightened senses picking up every subtle nuance of this incredible mortal man who was now her lover.

But after the brief bout of reverie, she had sobered herself, and reached for the phone, knowing what she had to do. There were protocols to follow, laws to be obeyed. She had an obligation to uphold, one that was critical to everyone's safety.

It helped that she knew the Prince of Miami rather well. He was an aged one, centuries old, much like herself. But although she completely respected him, she also had a respectful fear of him. And this meeting would be quite different from any other that she had ever had here. So she reminded herself to keep her guard up and proceed carefully…

Price Galean's mansion was located was a secure gated community in one of Miami's most coveted and exclusive communities. The grand scale of his mansion made her own home seem rather small and quaint by comparison. Before long, she was led into the Prince's official chambers. Price Galean beamed a brilliant smile and rose to greet her as she entered the room.

"Jade, welcome. It's been such a long time."

"My Prince, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," she said warmly, bowing to show her respect. She was by far his elder in actual years, and therefore worthy of a large amount of respect in her own right. But she still acknowledged and recognized the lofty position of massive power that the Prince held.

"Jade, my dear," he said smoothly. "You know I will always find time for you. Please. Sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

Galean was a good Prince. He had ruled Miami for many years, quite admirably. He was charismatic and exceptionally good-looking, with a regal bearing and a fine aristocratic pedigree. Tall, muscular and lean, with chestnut brown hair and deep hazel eyes. He was seen as both rugged and refined at the same time. He was known to be very opinionated and strong-willed, but his judgments were always carefully measured, fully considered and ultimately very fair. His main concern was the welfare of all of the vampires within his jurisdiction, regardless of clan, and the observance and preservation of their laws. When it came time to enforce the laws, his justice was swift, precise, and absolutely uncompromising.

Jade eased her lithe body into the soft leather chair opposite the Prince. She crossed her lean legs, and addressed the Prince with a sincere and respectful tone.

"I've found a new lover, Galean. And he's a mortal," she said quickly, before any questions were asked. "And I want my claim to him known. He is mine. Absolutely and completely. And under my protection, as well as the protection of our laws."

Price Galean smiled and seemed rather relieved. "Well, what a pleasant revelation. Honestly, I thought you were bringing me something much more sinister," he said lightly. He leaned in closer to her. "It has been quite a long time for you, has it not? So who is this wondrous mortal you have discovered?"

"His name… is Horatio Caine," she replied.

The Prince's pleasant façade faded slightly, and a look of serious concern clouded his face.

"Would that be _Lieutenant_ Horatio Caine? Of the Miami Dade Police Department?" he asked.

"Yes. That's him," she answered evenly.

Galean took a deep breath, and perched his hands in front of him, his fingertips touching each other. He pressed his index fingers to his own lips, carefully measuring his words. He took a deep sigh before continuing.

"Jade… Lieutenant Caine… is a very public and very powerful figure. Your involvement with him could be extremely dangerous. Not just to you, but to all of us."

"I am aware of that, my Prince," Jade replied gently. "I understand that his occupation and position present some genuine reasons for concern. But I am confident that I can deal with any and all of those challenges. He will not be a problem."

Galean perched his elbow on his knee and thoughtfully massaged his chin. Jade became more nervous, but dared not let her emotions show. She maintained her calm and composed demeanor. The Prince did have the power to absolutely forbid certain relationship or liaisons, if it was deemed too great of a safety risk. He also had the power to order a death, either vampire or mortal, depending on the circumstances.

But Jade was not about to give up her new found lover. In a careful show of boldness, she spoke to Prince Galean with a slight edge to her voice.

"I have not violated any of our laws, Galean. On the contrary, I am here because of them. I am coming to you and fulfilling my obligations. And I would merely expect you to fulfill yours…"

Galean stood quickly, anger threatening to surface, but just as quickly he vanquished it and took yet another deep breath, quelling his fury.

"…with all due respect, my Prince," Jade finished, with softly spoken sincerity.

"Very well, Jade," he replied with forced cordiality. "So shall it be. This mortal has been claimed by you and it shall be recorded as such."

He paused, then leaned closer to her, his eyes flashing an unmistakable warning. "But hear me now, Jade, you hear my warning," his eyes narrowed and Jade sat stock still under his blazing glare.

"You clearly know our laws, but let me remind you. Should this mortal of yours ever become a threat to us… a threat of any kind… it will be entirely _your_ responsibility. And you will have only two options. You will be the one required to either make him one of us… or to kill him. Are you prepared for that? Is that clearly understood?"

"I fully understand my responsibilities, my Prince," she said bowing her head. "And I accept them."

"You can appreciate my concern, Jade," Galean said softly. "But you have fulfilled your lawful obligations. So… all things considered… you now have official and legal acknowledgement, and with that you also have my blessing. So go. Be with your new found mortal lover. Enjoy him to your heart's content. Just keep in clear mind what we have discussed here. For if and when that time comes, I will make no exceptions."

Jade made her respectful retreat, and walked out into the balmy Miami night air. She took a deep breath, letting herself relax after her meeting with the Prince. She took flight, with no specific destination in mind, but hungry to see Horatio again…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jade soared high over the city, feeling more sated and happy than she had in centuries. She saw the familiar lights of the Miami skyline, but tonight she paused to admire just how beautiful they were.

She was very pleased with how her meeting with Price Galean had gone. She could appreciate his concern over her involvement with such a high profile public figure such as Horatio Caine, so she was both relieved and delighted to receive his blessing and acknowledgement of her claim on the fiery haired mortal.

But her delicious romp with Horatio in her bed combined with her nerves over meeting with the Prince, she had used a considerable amount of energy. She needed to feed. She still had a couple of hours before sunrise, so with a heavy sigh she turned and headed for the less desirable part of Miami.

It didn't take her long to spot her target, and the lone male in the alleyway never saw her coming as she swooped down upon him. She bared her teeth and sank them into the soft flesh of his neck, growling with hunger as the warm coppery liquid began to flow into her mouth. She quickly drank her fill, careful not to take too much as she had no reason to kill. When she was finished, she licked her lips and left the limp mortal sleeping peacefully on a bus stop bench before heading for home and the sanctuary of her lavish bedroom.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Horatio paused again, for the umteenth time of the day, leaned against the lab table, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to push the tiredness away. His head hurt, his muscles ached, and it was taking every ounce of will power he possessed to keep his focus and concentrate on the case the team was working on. The double dose of aspirin and the three large cups of coffee he had guzzled had managed to get him through most of the morning, but now it was just after lunch time and he was absolutely exhausted.

He didn't hear the lab door open as Eric walked into the room.

"H?" The younger man asked, concerned. "You OK?"

Horatio looked up, startled. "Fine… Eric," he stammered a reply. "Just a bit tired is all. Did you get any prints off the knife found at the crime scene?"

Eric momentarily ignored the question as he took in Horatio's haggard appearance. 'A bit tired' didn't even begin to describe it. The man's eyes, usually a crisp and clear blue, were bleary and red rimmed, and his face looked drawn and pale. A look of worry clouded Eric's face.

"You work _another_ double shift H?" Eric asked. "That's twice in one week. That's crazy. The brass can't expect anyone to be able to do that and stay sharp. You need some sleep."

Horatio didn't argue. But although the double shifts were taking their toll, it's nothing that Horatio hadn't done before. He did not, however, see the need to share the _other_ reason that he body was so drained of energy. His incredible lovemaking session with Jade. That was one piece of information he would keep to himself.

"Hey look," Eric continued. "We've got things under control here. Why don't you go home and crash? If anything shakes loose, I'll call you."

Horatio had to admit the idea of flopping into soft warm bed sounded wonderful. The longer he tried to keep pushing himself, the greater the chance of missing a key piece of evidence or making a mistake that could damage the investigation. So despite his dedicated work ethic, he reluctantly convinced himself that the prudent thing to do would be to heed Eric's advice.

"Anything comes up, you'll call me?" He asked, rubbing his forehead.

Eric nodded in reply. "Promise."

Horatio sighed heavily and put his sunglasses on. "Okay. Thank you my brother." And he headed for the door.

"No problem. Get some rest H," he heard Eric say as he left the room.

Minutes later, Horatio was pulling out of the parking lot. Without even realizing it, he turned and drove off in the opposite direction of his house. He was almost three miles away from the station before he consciously realized where he was heading…

_No point in turning around now…_ his tired brain rationalized.

He pulled up in front of Jade's palatial home, parked his car, and walked to the front door. He was just about to knock when the huge door swung open and Donovan greeted him.

"Mr. Caine, nice to see you again," the young man said pleasantly. "She's upstairs in her bedroom. I assume you know the way?"

Horatio blushed slightly, but nodded.

"Very well then, Good Day to you Sir," Donovan smiled and closed the door, then disappeared into another room.

Horatio quickly made his way up the stairs and silently entered Jade's decadent bedroom. Not a hint of the bright Miami sunshine made its way through the layers of heavy draperies, the only light in the room the soft amber flicker of a few candles. The intoxicating scent of jasmine hung heavy in the air.

Horatio slowly approached the luxurious oversized bed and saw the blanketed figure stir.

"Jade," he called softly.

"Mmmm, Horatio," she purred in reply. She slowly pulled back the covers and Horatio caught his breath at the exotic sight of her nude body.

"Get out of those clothes and come here my love," Jade said in a sultry tone.

Horatio complied immediately and slipped into the silky sheets, his body responding to being so close to her. Gone were the aches and pains he had struggled with throughout the whole morning. He felt nothing but a calm peace, a pleasant warm tingle that washed through him all the way to his toes. She pulled him close and settled into the soft bedding with him, stroking a gentle hand through his hair.

"I… needed to see you…" Horatio began, but she stilled him.

"Shhhhh," she whispered, softly caressing his skin. "It's time to sleep now. Sleep Horatio."

He needed no other persuasion. He felt his body completely relax in her arms and within minutes he fell into a deep and restful sleep. Jade settled herself beside him, keeping him cradled close to her, relishing the feel of his body melded against hers. Then she too, drifted off to sleep, a contented smile on her face…

_**A/N: My sincerest apologies for the large time gaps in my story updates… I hate it when life interferes with my creative expressions! However, I am back at the keyboard once again… Thank you for your patience, thank you for the reviews, and thank you for reading! -NiteJasmine**_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Jade stirred beneath the silken covers in her lavish bedroom, awakening from her heavy slumber. She allowed a soft sigh to escape her throat as she slowly arose into consciousness, feeling the soft warm skin of her lover close beside her. _Horatio… _

She remembered him coming to her, feeling his presence, and the thrilling rush of his nearness. But she also felt his debilitating fatigue. He was near exhaustion, and in desperate need of some restful sleep. So she had pulled him to her, wrapping herself around his delightfully naked body, and burrowing them both deep beneath the layers of the soft silken sheets. And into a very deep sleep.

Now, slowly awakening, she reveled in the feel of his strong muscular frame pressed against her. She briefly began to open her eyes, but then fluttered them closed again, relishing the delicious warmth of his body molded so tightly against hers. Her hands began to gently caress his pale skin, fingertips languidly making random gentle patterns across his shoulders, nails grazing sensuously up the back of his neck, and then all the way back down to the small hollow at the base of his spine. She delighted in the feel of his gentle hot breath softly ghosting across her shoulder, and the feel of his slow and steady pulse thrumming against her whisper soft touch. The wonderful sensations began to stir Horatio from the depths of his entrancing slumber. Jade's hands traced a gentle trail downwards along his side, then further down across his stomach… and Horatio let out a low moan of pleasure and nuzzled even closer against her… Jade took a deep breath and sighed with delight and erotic anticipation as her hand ventured further down his willing body…

And then she stopped. Jade's nostrils flared slightly, and she froze stock still. She cautiously sniffed the air again, and her suspicions were confirmed. They were not alone…

Reacting immediately, Jade silently willed Horatio back to sleep, and his warm body instantly relaxed into the covers beside her. She sat bolt upright, eyes sharp. She sprang up on all fours, defensively straddling her sleeping mortal lover, protecting him, and rapidly scanning the room. And then she saw him…

There, just inside the doorway, the shape of a large grey wolf. He was poised to attack, head hanging low between his shoulders, eyes glowering with malicious hatred, long fangs bared. She heard a low, throaty, menacing growl, and she responded instantly. Even in the dim candlelight, she could still see quite clearly. And her breath caught for a second in her throat as she recognized him. She saw the small piece missing from his left ear, the mark she had inflicted in the heat of battle… And a flood of violent memories rushed through her mind, all the horrific things this ugly monster was responsible for. There was no mistaking exactly who was hunkered down at the end of her bed, and she became instantly enraged…

Jade's eyes began to glow a deep stormy green as she glared back at her would-be attacker. Her shoulders hunched up and her fingernails began sprouting into long sharp claws. Her head lowered and her eyes narrowed, focusing on her intruder like a laser beam. And she felt her teeth grow, white razor sharp canines curving over her full red lips. She curled back her upper lip, baring her teeth even further, and let out her own vicious growl, hackles spiking up between her shoulders, muscles tensing for a fight…

"_YOU_!" Jade snarled. "How _dare _you! How dare you enter here, into my home, my sanctuary, and threaten _me_! You violate our laws yet again! You will pay for this!"

The wolfen figure in the doorway stood its ground, and the voice that replied was deep and gravelly, and absolutely dripping with venomous intent. "I came here for _you… _dear _Jade_… you mercenary, treasonous _bitch_," the voice seethed. "For retribution. Which you know full well _is allowed_ by our laws… But I have stopped, because you have a _mortal_ here…" he briefly scrunched up his nose in disgust. "I can smell him…"

"He is under my protection, registered with Price Galean…" Jade replied quickly, but was harshly interrupted.

"_I care not about your mortal TOY!_" The deep voice bellowed, nearly shaking with fury. "I have spent decades tracking you, and I have finally found you! I care only about my vengeance! _And I will have it!"_

Jade glared silently and saw her opponent take a moment to calm himself before continuing. "It is quite fortunate for you that this mortal was with you tonight," he snarled. "And only because I _do _obey our laws, will I take my leave. Once again, blind luck is on your side. His presence has spared you this eve. But know this, Jade. I will have my revenge. This mortal may have halted my attack tonight, but there _will_ be another time, another opportunity. And I will wait for it… And you will pay for what you have done to me, with your life. You will die. _I will tear you to pieces, drink your blood, and howl at the moon!"_

And then, in a whisper-quick flash, he was gone.

_DONOVAN!_ Her thoughts bellowed. Donnie was in front of her within seconds, wide eyed with concern. He instantly felt the stress in the room, it was thick enough to cut with a knife. And when Jade explained what had just happened, who had been in the doorway, and the serious threat that he now posed, Donovan was both shocked and extremely alarmed at the revelation.

"Are you sure?" Donnie asked cautiously. Jade focused a pointed stare back at him.

"OK," Donovan replied, gathering himself up and straightening his shoulders. "I'll handle the security. I'm gonna put the word out. In five minutes, this place will be locked down tighter than Fort Knox!"

Jade nodded, then began to try to force herself to relax, and turn her attention back to the redhead lying behind her. Horatio was still held in the throes of a 'willed' sleep, but he had become more and more restless, lightly thrashing around on the bed, clearly picking up on the high tension levels radiating from Jade. She wanted nothing more right now than to just wrap herself around him, pull the covers up over their heads, and let the rest of the world just melt away…

"Jade," Donnie said out loud, interrupting her thoughts and pulling her attention back to him.

"I'm sorry Jade," Donovan said seriously. "I failed you. I had no idea. I never felt him coming. I didn't even know he was here. Right here, in this house."

"Neither did I," Jade answered solemnly, worriedly shaking her head. "I didn't feel anything either Donnie. Nothing. Not until he was right here in front of me."

Donovan huffed. "Looks like he's drastically improved some of his skills," he snarked.

Jade nodded reluctantly, then replied, her voice heavy and full of disdain. "Well, he's had quite a bit of time to work on them…"


End file.
